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Former F1 driver and columnist Jolyon Palmer shared his opinion on Sunday's dramatic Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, which saw Lewis Hamilton emerge victorious.
Speaking about the incident on BBC Sounds, the former Renault driver analyzed the safety car restart where Verstappen dangerously overtook Hamilton, and emphasized the fact that the Briton couldn't risk a DNF.
He said:
"Max again lunges down the inside and it kind of looked like a nice move, but also it requires Lewis Hamilton to hit Esteban Ocon, to not hit Max. So Lewis was so worried about entangling with Max in the race that he actually opened the steering to let Max through but there's Ocon on the outside."
Palmer highlighted the precarious situation Max Verstappen had put Lewis Hamilton in, since if the Briton DNF'd with Max winning the race, the Dutchman would automatically be crowned world champion.
The two drivers collided in dramatic fashion after Verstappen overtook Hamilton illegally following a safety car restart. The Dutchman was asked to give the position back to the Briton and decided to do so on the long back straight. Due to some miscommunication between Mercedes and the FIA, however, Hamilton was not informed in time and crashed into the back of Red Bull.
The race was not without its fair share of controversy, with multiple red flags, race restarts, and safety cars occurring over the course of the 50 racing laps.
Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen tied on points ahead of Abu Dhabi Grand Prix
In what is turning out to be one of the greatest seasons of F1, Lewis Hamilton has now leveled the playing field by erasing the point difference between himself and 24-year-old Verstappen. With points level, the upcoming Abu Dhabi Grand Prix will be the ultimate battleground as the winner takes it all.
The 2021 season marks the first time since 1974 to feature championship contenders going into the final race on equal points. The ongoing battle between Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton will finally have its outcome next Sunday as we head to a modified Yas Marina Circuit for this year's championship finale.
